Joseph A. Novak

Nov. 14, 1921-Oct. 5, 2012

October 7, 2012

Joseph Novak, 90, Bismarck, passed away Oct. 5, 2012, at Golden Manor in Steele, N.D. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, Oct. 8, 2012, at DaWise-Perry Funeral Services, 4614 Memorial Highway, Mandan, with the Rev. Justin Walz, officiating. Burial will be in the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, south of Mandan, at a later date. There will be no visitation as cremation has taken place.

Joseph was born Nov. 14, 1921, in Minot, N.D., the son of Joseph and Eve (Rudd) Novak Sr. He attended school in Minot, graduating from Minot High School in 1940. He married Norma Wilhelm on Nov. 21, 1942, while serving in the Army Air Corps during World War II. He was honorably discharged in January of 1946. Norma passed away in September of 2009.

After serving his country, Joe worked for Job Service for 31 years, holding 14 separate positions, including the State Director of the Job Insurance Division for 11 years. Joe attended Bismarck State College night school and took many courses in political science.

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In addition to his career, Joe volunteered by representing various veteran and employee organizations. He was the director of the first North Dakota Occupational Information Coordinating Council, the Employer/Public Representative on the North Dakota Job Service Advisory Council, the Governor's appointed member of the North Dakota Administrative Committee on Veterans Affairs, Chairman of the Legislative Committee of North Dakota's Coordinating Committee, the Veterans Representative on the Governor's Employment and Training Forum, and he served on the board of directors for the School of Hope in Bismarck.

More recently, as one of the few remaining World War II veterans in the state, Joe spent many hours working with the Ward County Historical Society, identifying pictures of North Dakota WWII veterans by matching them to their military service records. Many were pictures of soldiers who gathered at "Brady's Bar" in Minot, N.D., while on leave or getting ready to go overseas to serve their country. Joe was thrilled to be a part of the Roughrider Honor Flight in May 2009, that took WWII veterans to Washington, D.C.

Joseph A. Novak was a generous and kind man with a good sense of humor. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.